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The intelligence ministry arrested a group of prisoners’ families and student activists in a rally and sit-in protest Tuesday in front of the UN offices in Tehran, spokesman of the Democratic Front opposition group tells Radio Farda.

Security forces arrested political prisoners’ family members and student activists who had participated in a rally on Tuesday in front of the UN offices in Tehran, but the Islamic Republic police and Tehran judiciary told the families of the arrested demonstrators that neither had records of their arrests.

The organ which has arrested the demonstrators may have done so without judicial warrants, using special powers given to it by law, spokesman of the “independent” opposition group the Democratic Front (Jebheh-ye Demokratik-e Iran) Hassan Zarezadeh tells Radio Farda’s broadcaster Golnaz Esfandiari.

The intelligence ministry has already transferred the detainees to a cellblock in the Evin prison, and we have news that some have been released, including the family of jailed student Mohammad Ahmadi who is held in Karaj, he adds.

The demonstrators managed to speak to UN officials in Tehran, “but unfortunately they do not pay attention to these things in Iran,” Zarezadeh adds.

The demonstrators asked the UN to condemn human rights violations in Iran, including the judiciary’s treatment of student activists and journalists, he adds._________________Referendum AFTER Regime Change

"I'm ready to die for you to be able to say your own opinions, even if i strongly disagree with you" (Voltaire)

As you know, on Tuesday, August 17, 2004, a group of Iranians including the families of some political prisoners in Iran, had attempted to present themselves to your office in order to obtain help from The United Nations, The Human Rights Commission and all other agencies who are concerned about the condition of the political prisoners.

In effect, these family members were requesting or demanding an end to the painful and traumatic imprisonments as well as the fatal tortures their loved ones had endured. Unfortunately and regretfully, they were confronted by a group of militia who had surrounded your office building in Tehran and their group of 40 to 50 participants were arrested and subsequently imprisoned.

The motivating force behind these family members’ plea to your office lies on their true belief that the United Nations is a representative and protector of nations and not governments! They firmly believe that your agency represents and protects The Proclamation of Human Rights and that this proclamation does not permit nor allow persons to be violated against through torture and imprisonment due to their beliefs and protests. These righteous souls know not but your office and agency, and we are extremely concerned about the welfare and future of these prisoners.

In the conversation we had with you two days ago (on Tuesday, August 17, 2004) which was broadcasted live worldwide via the 24/7 “XTV” television, you stated that your office had received a petition from those outside your office, but had not had the opportunity to review it. At this point, since you have had the opportunity to review that petition, we ask of you to communicate to us the condition of these prisoners and to tell us about the actions that your office will be taking in this regard.

It is amazing that such violating acts against human rights on the most despicable and debauched level can be committed in front of the Human Rights office of The United Nations in Tehran, by the agents and forces of the IRI.

As per your agreement for a follow-up conversation, we will call your office at 8:30 A.M. (Tehran time) on Saturday August 21st to further speak to you regarding this tragic event and the fate of our fellow countrymen.

These desperate families have tried and are trying everything. It is a real shame that nobody in the world is willing to hear them or to help them.

I wonder what the EU with its bogus lip service to human rights is going to do? Never mind, the filthy greedy European Neo Colonialists will continue to ignore human rights and to reward the hardliners with even more trade deals for all of their beastly and inhuman oppression !

Several political and student activists and family members of some of the imprisoned dissidents, such as the maverick Behrooz Javid Tehrani, were brutalized and arrested, this afternoon, in front and around the UN offices located in NE of the Iranian Capital.

The brutal attack of the regime's militiamen and plain clothes officers, against the peaceful demonstrators, happened after a formal request for the UN's immediate intervention for making respect the human rights, in Iran, was remitted to a UN official.

Several militiamen were seen tearing the pictures of imprisoned dissidents and placards which were carried by the demonstrators.

Tens of astonished residents along with UN's "powerless" employees were watching the scene of the aggression which was blocked, from the early hours of the afternoon, by the regime forces.

After the arrests of families of political prisoners on Tuesday, during their portest in front of Tehran's UN Offices, the number of hunger strikers has increased from 3 to 9.

According to the families of political prisoners, 6 of the prisoners in Rajai prison, sent a lettter on Wednsday to the warden announcing their hunger strike in solidarity with imprisoned political dissident Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, protesting the arrests of the families of political dissidents, and emphasisizng that their hunger strike would continue until all the arrested familes of political prisoners are freed. The Rajai prison hunger strikers are: Sayed Mohamad Ahmadi, Amir Hossein Heshmat Saran, Said Emameeyan, Harvani, Mohamad Ebrahimi, and Farhang Poor Mansoori.

The attempts of other family members of political prisoners to free those who were arrested on Tuesday has not been totally successful yet. So far only 2 family members have been released, the wife of Mohamad Ahmadi and another woman by the name of Nazri, the other 28 family members who were arrested are still in custody.

The arrest of the families and the spread of hunger strikes in protest, are occuring while judiciary officials in Tehran and the militia have denied any such arrests.

Taghi Hamidi, whose son Farzad Hamidi is one of those arrested on Tuesday, who immediately went on a hunger strike after his arrest in protest, said during an interview with Radio Barabari. " They haven't given us any information so far, and the remaining families are very worried". He added that if this situation isn't resolved soon it is possible that we will join families of political prisoners in setting ourselves on fire in front of the Revolutionary Court."